plate no. 9324

Paris after Rain

Konstantín Korovin, 1900

oilImpressionismcityscapecityscapebuildingstreesstreetmoonfigure

what to study here

It shows how a wet street, reflected light and a limited value range can build a night scene with soft edges and little detail.

Study how the street carries the picture. The eye goes first to the pale moon in the upper left, then follows a horizontal shimmer of reflected light down the wet pavement toward the distant buildings. Horizontal strokes on the street suggest water, while vertical and angular strokes describe the buildings and trees. Check the value structure: nearly black silhouettes of buildings and trees, mid-dark street and sky, and the moon with its halo as the lightest note. There is no bright white, so the lights stay muted and the night mood holds. The wet pavement echoes the sky values, which ties ground and sky together. Look at the edges. They are mostly soft, especially in the sky and where reflections meet the street. Rooflines keep sharper upper edges but stay sketchy. Trees are suggested by dark masses, not rendered branch by branch, and the small figures are dark silhouettes. Copy the value masses in a small study before attempting any detail, and see how little drawing the buildings need once their values are placed.

key decision

The painter let the wet pavement repeat the sky's values in broken horizontal strokes, linking street and sky. Lights are kept muted with no bright white, so the moon stays the lightest note without breaking the mood.

recreation guide

Konstantin Korovin’s 'Paris after Rain' (1900) is a quintessential example of Russian Impressionism, capturing the atmospheric effects of a wet cityscape. Korovin, a leading figure in this movement, was deeply influenced by his time in Paris, where he found validation for the Impressionist techniques he had been criticized for using in Moscow (Source 5). His work from this period, including numerous Parisian scenes like 'A Paris Cafe' and 'Paris at Night', focuses on mood and light rather than rigid detail (Source 3). The painting likely employs a palette built on delicate webs of shades, a technique Korovin developed during his travels to the north, which he applied to his urban landscapes to convey the specific emotional resonance of the scene (Source 6).

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions

materials

5 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (Ultramarine, White, Black, Yellow Ochre, Vermilion/Red Ochre)	Primary pigments for the grisaille underpainting and subsequent glazing/scumbling layers.	—
Linseed oil or Oil of Copavia	Medium for thinning paint and creating transparent glazes.	Stand oil or refined linseed oil
Mineral spirits or Turpentine	Solvent for cleaning brushes and thinning initial washes.	Odorless mineral spirits
Canvas or primed panel	Support for the oil painting.	—
Palette knives and brushes	Application of paint; knives for scraping or impasto, brushes for glazing.	—

preparation

surface prep

Prepare a standard oil-primed canvas. While specific priming recipes for this exact 1900 work are not detailed in the sources, Korovin’s training at the Moscow School and Imperial Academy suggests adherence to traditional academic preparation methods of the late 19th century (Source 5). Ensure the surface is dry and ready for oil application.

underdrawing

Sketch the composition lightly with charcoal or thinned paint. Traditional oil painting techniques often begin with this step to establish the layout before applying color (Source 8). Korovin’s 'etude style' suggests a focus on capturing the immediate impression, so the drawing should be loose and structural rather than highly detailed (Source 6).

underpainting

Create a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) using black, ultramarine, and white. This technique involves mentally extracting red and yellow colors to establish the value structure of the painting (Source 1). This aligns with the method described by Sir Joshua Reynolds, which Korovin’s academic training would have familiarized him with, and is consistent with the 'delicate web of shades of grey' noted in his northern landscapes (Source 6).

color palette

Cool Greys and Blues

Ultramarine, White, Black

Establishing the atmospheric perspective and the 'grey bloom' of the rainy Parisian street. Korovin’s northern works are built on a delicate web of shades of grey, which likely informs the cool, reflective tones of the wet pavement (Source 6).

Warm Yellows and Reds

Yellow Ochre, Vermilion, Cadmium Yellow

Glazing and scumbling over the grisaille to introduce the warmth of streetlights, reflections, and architectural details. These colors are added in transparent or semi-opaque layers to tint the underlying structure (Source 1).

Neutralized Greens/Browns

Complementary mixes (e.g., red added to green)

Darkening areas without shifting hue drastically, using complementary colors to neutralize and deepen shadows, a technique supported by color theory principles (Source 7).

composition

While specific compositional analysis of 'Paris after Rain' is not provided in the sources, general principles of visual composition suggest avoiding exact bisections of the picture space and positioning the horizon line to emphasize either the sky or the ground (Source 4). Korovin’s focus on 'mood decor' and conveying general emotions suggests the composition likely prioritizes atmospheric unity over rigid geometric structure (Source 3). The viewer’s eye should be led through the scene via lines and contrasts, with a center of interest preventing the image from becoming a mere pattern (Source 4).

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing

underdrawing

step 01
Lightly sketch the main architectural lines and horizon on the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint.
Tip — Keep lines loose to allow for the impressionistic style.
Traditional underdrawing

underpainting

step 02
Apply a monochrome layer using black, ultramarine, and white to establish values. Mentally exclude red and yellow tones to focus on form and light.
Tip — Ensure this layer is completely dry before proceeding to avoid muddying subsequent layers.
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Begin glazing with transparent coats of yellow and red tones over the dry grisaille. Use oil as a medium to create transparency.
Tip — Apply thin layers to build up color intensity without obscuring the value structure beneath.
Glazing

refining

step 04
Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) to add texture and highlights, particularly for the wet reflections and atmospheric haze. This allows the underlying grisaille to show through, creating a 'grey bloom'.
Tip — When scumbling over darker grounds, be aware it tends to create coldness, which may be desirable for the rainy atmosphere.
Scumbling

finishing

step 05
Adjust colors using complementary mixes to darken shadows without shifting hue. For example, add a touch of red to greenish shadows to neutralize them.
Tip — Avoid adding black to darken colors, as it can cause unwanted hue shifts towards green or blue.
Complementary neutralization

varnishing

step 06
Once the painting is fully dry (which may take weeks), apply a varnish to protect the surface and unify the sheen.
Tip — Ensure the painting is completely dry to prevent trapping solvents.
Varnishing

critical techniques

Glazing and Scumbling

Korovin’s practice, influenced by old masters and academic training, likely involved glazing transparent colors over a monochrome underpainting. This method allows for luminous color effects and atmospheric depth, crucial for Impressionist cityscapes (Source 1).

Monochrome Underpainting

Using a grisaille base helps manage the complex values of a rainy scene. This technique is supported by historical accounts of Reynolds and is consistent with Korovin’s use of grey webs in his northern landscapes (Source 1, Source 6).

Complementary Color Mixing

Using complementary colors to darken and neutralize hues rather than adding black or white, which can shift the hue undesirably. This is a standard color theory practice applicable to Korovin’s nuanced palette (Source 7).

common pitfalls

→Adding black to darken colors, which can cause hue shifts towards green or blue, ruining the naturalistic tone of the shadows (Source 7).
→Applying glazes before the underpainting is completely dry, which can lead to muddying and cracking (Source 1, Source 8).
→Violating the 'fat over lean' rule, where subsequent layers have less oil than previous ones, leading to cracking and peeling (Source 8).
→Creating a composition with exact bisections or a centered subject, which can make the image static and less engaging (Source 4).

what the sources don't tell us

Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.

·Specific visual details of 'Paris after Rain' such as the exact location, time of day, or specific architectural features are not described in the provided sources.
·Korovin’s exact brushwork style for this specific painting is not detailed, though his general 'etude style' is mentioned.
·The specific pigments used by Korovin in 1900 are not listed, so modern equivalents are suggested based on general Impressionist practice.

grounded in

The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.

The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Underpainting, glazing, and scumbling techniques

cross-referenced from

Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.

Wikipedia: Composition (visual arts)↗
- Composition (visual arts) — part 1 & 6 — applied to Compositional principles and visual ordering
Wikipedia bio — Konstantín Korovin↗
- part 1, 2, 3 — applied to Artist’s style, influence of Paris, and use of grey tones
Wikipedia: Color theory↗
- Color theory — part 6 — applied to Mixing colors and avoiding hue shifts
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 2 — applied to General oil painting techniques and materials

Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.

read from the painting

observed from the image, not the label

6 dominant colors, measured

what the eye sees

A wet Parisian street recedes into depth, flanked by Haussmann-style buildings whose rooflines cut sharply against a hazy, yellowish-green night sky. The moon—a pale, luminous disc—sits in the upper left, casting cool light that bleeds into the street and amplifies reflections in the wet pavement. The eye is drawn first to the moon, then follows the horizontal shimmer of reflected light down the street toward the distant buildings. Small figures crowd the street as dark silhouettes, and dark vertical tree forms punctuate the composition, their branches suggested rather than rendered.

value structure

The painting organizes around three value zones: the nearly black building silhouettes and tree shadows (darkest), the mid-dark street and atmospheric sky (mid-values), and the pale moon with its surrounding halo (lightest). The wet pavement echoes sky values, creating a horizontal band of reflected light that integrates the composition. There is no bright white—the lights are muted luminosity, which keeps the nocturnal mood intact.

observed palette and mixes

#272222
Ultramarine blue + Alizarin crimson + small touch of yellow ochre
Building silhouettes, deep shadows, tree forms, darkest accents
#797761
Yellow ochre + ultramarine + white
Building facades, warmer wall planes, some street mid-tones
#969274
Yellow ochre + titanium white + touch of raw sienna
Lighter building facings, highlights on wet pavement, architectural accents
#676354
Viridian green + raw sienna + ultramarine
Street surface, atmospheric mid-tones, cool-toned shadows
#3d3f3a
Ultramarine + alizarin + titanium white
Dark neutral shadows, pavement depth, tree and building interstitial space

edges and brushwork

The brushwork is loose, gestural, and visible throughout—horizontal strokes dominate the street to suggest water and reflection, while vertical and angular strokes describe the buildings and trees. Edges are predominantly soft and blurred, especially in the sky and where reflections meet street; building silhouettes retain sharper upper edges but remain sketchy and non-photographic. This is impressionist suggestion, not precision—the technique invites the viewer's eye to complete the forms.

a working sequence

01
Underpainting and composition block-in
Thin your oil with linseed oil and mineral spirits. Brush in the main compositional lines: the horizon where buildings meet sky (roughly mid-canvas), the street receding into depth, the two building masses flanking left and right. Establish the moon's position in the upper left. Use dilute mixtures of ultramarine and ochre to map value masses—don't fill, just indicate where dark buildings, mid-tone street, and lighter sky belong. This stage is about structure; keep it spare.
02
Sky and atmosphere
Block in the sky with a soft, hazy wash of yellowish-green: mix yellow ochre with viridian and touches of ultramarine, modulated with white. The sky should feel atmospheric and warm-toned despite the night hour. Paint loosely, leaving no hard edges—use broad, soft strokes. The moon is not painted yet; leave it as canvas or a pale wash. Notice how the sky is warmer on the left (near the moon) and cooler toward the top right.
03
Building silhouettes and street underpainting
Now establish the dark building forms against the sky. Mix a deep, nearly black tone from ultramarine, alizarin, and yellow ochre, and block in the sharply rising rooflines and the main building masses on both sides. These should be nearly opaque and solid. Below the buildings, indicate the street in mid-dark values—a mix of viridian, raw sienna, and ultramarine. The street surface is the visual foundation; establish it now as a receding rectangular plane.
04
Moon and light glow
Paint the moon as a pale, luminous circle of titanium white mixed with tiny touches of yellow ochre and ultramarine—it should glow, not be a harsh white. Create a soft halo of light around it by feathering the pale yellow-green sky tones outward from the moon. The glow should be subtle and diffused. This is the light source; establish it clearly now.
05
Street reflections and wet surface
This step is crucial to the painting's mood. Paint the street with predominantly horizontal strokes in cool-toned mixtures (viridian with ultramarine, touches of raw sienna). Add reflected light in the lower street by using the same pale yellowish-green as the sky, but keep it muted. These reflections should be broken and horizontal—not mirror-perfect but suggesting water and light bounce. Leave some areas darker to suggest wet shadows and depth receding into the distance.
06
Building facades and architectural warm tones
Return to the buildings with mid-tone and lighter mixtures. Where the moon's light catches the building facades, apply warmer tones: yellow ochre mixed with white and touches of raw sienna. The left-facing facades will be slightly warmer, the right-facing cooler (ultramarine + ochre + white). Add hints of windows using dark mixtures, but keep them suggested, not detailed. Vary the brushwork—use slightly less loose strokes here than in the sky, but still avoid tight rendering.
07
Trees, figures, and atmospheric details
Suggest the dark tree forms with vertical and angled strokes of nearly black mixtures (ultramarine + alizarin + ochre), placing them between and in front of buildings. They should be dark silhouettes, not rendered as detailed foliage. Add tiny dark figures on the street as mere hints—small vertical marks where people cluster. Add small accents of light (pale mixtures) on the wet street to suggest street lamps or bounced moonlight on puddles. Keep these minimal; they punctuate rather than dominate.
08
Atmospheric unification and final softening
Step back and assess the overall harmony. The sky, street, and buildings should feel integrated by the cool-warm interplay and reflected light. Where edges feel too sharp, soften them with a dry or barely damp brush. Reinforce the horizontal shimmer of the street with additional soft horizontal strokes. Add final subtle touches of light and shadow to tie the composition together. The moon should still be the brightest element; everything else should feel bathed in nocturnal atmosphere.

where studies of this painting go wrong

Painting the street too dry or opaque—the wet surface and its reflections are essential to the mood and composition. Keep the street luminous and broken with horizontal strokes; avoid a flat, solid appearance.
Overworking the buildings and figures with detail. This is impressionism; your buildings should suggest the architecture through silhouette and value shifts, not precise window placement or facade lines. Figures should be mere silhouettes.
Making the moon too yellow or too bright. It should glow with cool-toned paleness (mostly white with the tiniest touches of ochre and blue). An overly yellow or orange moon will feel artificial.
Losing the atmospheric haze in the sky. The sky is the stage for the entire scene; if it becomes a thin backdrop rather than a thick, luminous envelope, the nocturnal mood collapses. Keep sky brushwork loose and transitions soft.
Neglecting the value structure. This painting succeeds through value relationships, not color intensity. Test your values regularly by squinting; the moon should pop, the street should feel recessive, and the buildings should anchor the scene as strong darks.

measured difficulty